The present invention relates to systems and methods for failure collection systems generally and more particularly to systems and methods for failure collection and analysis.
Failure collection systems, also termed Failure Reporting And Collection Systems (FRACAS) are well known in the art. FRACAS systems are employed to monitor the type, character, number and frequency of failures in a desired system, such as a production line of a consumer product or a series of vehicles of the same type.
In a typical FRACAS system, an operator collects the failures and issues a report listing the detected failures as textual information. Typically, FRACAS systems employ a computer to analyze the reported failures and therefore, the operator employs a portable computer to input the failures. Then, the same computer or a different one is employed in order to analyze the failures.
One drawback of prior art FRACAS systems is that textual descriptions are limited and therefore, the reports provided by the operator are often inadequate. Moreover, the operator may lack the proficiency to adequately describe the detected failure.
Another drawback of prior art FRACAS systems is that since the operator must employ his hands to report the failures, he cannot use them at the same time to uncover failures in the system or to fix them, and therefore, the time required to collect the failures in the system and to fix them is relatively long.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved failure collection system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved failure collection and analysis system.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a Failure Reporting And Collection System (FRACAS) which receives visual, textual and audible information.
According to another aspect of the invention, the operator can select, for each failure, whether to input visual, textual or audible information, or any combination thereof.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the received information is automatically directed to an analysis system.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the received information and the output of the analysis thereof may be displayed to the operator.
It will be appreciated that the term xe2x80x9cdisplayxe2x80x9d is used herein to indicate a display of visual and textual information as well as a display of audible information by any suitable system, such as head phones or a loudspeaker.
The present invention enables the operator to use his hands freely both to reveal a failure and/or to fix it while reporting it, and thus the operator can simultaneously report and repair a failure.
The present invention further enables to incorporate previous reports detected by prior art FRACAS systems in the FRACAS system of the present invention, for further analysis thereof, such as for trends of failures.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a scanner is provided for scanning any desired information regarding failures in the systems, such as visual and textual information.
There is thus provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a failure reporting system which includes a plurality of reporting tools for reporting detected failures in a system to be observed, the plurality of reporting tools including at least two from the group consisting of an audio reporting tool, a visual reporting tool and a text reporting tool.
Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the audio reporting tool includes at least one microphone, the visual reporting tool includes at least one video camera and the text reporting tool includes at least one keyboard.
Still further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system also includes a control system for activating a selected number from the plurality of reporting tools at a time.
Additionally, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system also includes an audio recognition unit for discriminating between audible reports and other audible information.
Further, according to one preferred embodiment, the control unit includes means for activating the selected number of reporting tools, the means responding to oral control commands received from the audio reporting tool via the audio recognition unit.
Additionally, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system may include a visual recognition unit for discriminating between visual reports and other visual information.
Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system may include a storage unit for storing the audible reports, the visual reports and textual reports.
Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system may include a classification unit for classifying the visual, textual and audible reports in accordance with predetermined criteria.
Still further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system may include an analysis unit for analyzing the classified visual, textual and audible reports.
Additionally, according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system may include a display system, for displaying selected ones from the group which includes:
a. any of the visual, textual and audible reports;
b. the oral control commands;
c. any of the recognized visual, textual and audible reports;
d. any of the classified visual, textual and audible reports; and
e. any of the analyzed visual, textual and audible reports.
Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the display system includes a screen for displaying any of the visual and textual reports and headphones for displaying any of the audible reports.
There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for reporting failures which includes the steps of employing a plurality of reporting tools for reporting detected failures in a system to be observed, the plurality of reporting tools including at least two from the group consisting of an audio reporting tool, a visual reporting tool and a text reporting tool.
Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method also includes the step of activating a selected number from the plurality of reporting tools at a time.
Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method may also include the step of discriminating between audible reports and other audible information.
Still further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method may include the step of activating a selected number of the reporting tools employing oral control commands which are not audible reports.
Additionally, according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method includes the step of discriminating between visual reports and other visual information.
Further, according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method includes the step of storing the audible reports, the visual reports and the textual reports. Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system may include a storage unit for storing the audible reports, the visual reports and textual reports.
Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system may include a classification unit for classifying the visual, textual and audible reports in accordance with predetermined criteria.
Still further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system may include an analysis unit for analyzing the classified visual, textual and audible reports.
Additionally, according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system may include a display system, for displaying selected ones from the group which includes:
a. any of the visual, textual and audible reports;
b. the oral control commands;
c. any of the recognized visual, textual and audible reports;
d. any of the classified visual, textual and audible reports; and
e. any of the analyzed visual, textual and audible reports.
Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the display system includes a screen for displaying any of the visual and textual reports and headphones for displaying any of the audible reports.
There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for reporting failures which includes the steps of employing a plurality of reporting tools for reporting detected failures in a system to be observed, the plurality of reporting tools including at least two from the group consisting of an audio reporting tool, a visual reporting tool and a text reporting tool.
Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method also includes the step of activating a selected number from the plurality of reporting tools at a time.
Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method may also include the step of discriminating between audible reports and other audible information.
Still further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method may include the step of activating a selected number of the reporting tools employing oral control commands which are not audible reports.
Additionally, according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method includes the step of discriminating between visual reports and other visual information.
Further, according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method includes the step of storing the audible reports, the visual reports and the textual reports.
Still further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method may include the step of classifying the visual, textual and audible reports in accordance with predetermined criteria.
Additionally, according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention the method may include the step of analyzing the classified visual, textual and audible reports.
Finally, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method may include the step of displaying selected ones from the group including:
any of the visual, textual and audible reports;
the oral control commands;
any of the recognized visual, textual and audible reports;
any of the classified visual, textual and audible reports; and
any of the analyzed visual, textual and audible reports.